emperor

noun

em·​per·​or ˈem-pər-ər How to pronounce emperor (audio)
-prər
1
: the sovereign or supreme male monarch of an empire
2
emperorship noun

Did you know?

The words emperor, caesar, czar, and Kaiser all go back to one source: the title of the first Roman emperor, Imperator Caesar Augustus. Augustus was the adopted son of the Roman general and ruler Julius Caesar and he took the name Caesar as part of his official name. Later Roman emperors did the same, and thus caesar came to mean “an emperor of Rome.” The word caesar was borrowed into German and other Germanic languages as Kaiser, which is how we get the word kaiser for “a ruler in Germany.” Through the Russian word tsar, which also came from kaiser, we got our word czar, meaning “a ruler in Russia.” The word emperor can be traced through French to Latin imperator. Imperator was a title given to great Roman generals and meant “commander,” from the verb imperare “to command.”

Examples of emperor in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web But now, music stars also are emperors of business empires, right? Chris Klimek, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Mar. 2024 Led by Charlotte Rampling as Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam in the films, the order includes in their ranks the emperor’s daughter Prince Irulan (played by Pugh) and Paul’s mother Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson). Jack Smart, Peoplemag, 4 Mar. 2024 There are plenty of other eye-catching additions to the cast—Christopher Walken as the taciturn emperor, Florence Pugh as his chain-mail-wearing daughter. David Sims, The Atlantic, 28 Feb. 2024 While exploring the waters along the Italian coastline, divers recovered part of a statue that may have adorned a Roman emperor’s villa. Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 12 Feb. 2024 Celebrate the birthday of emperor, believed to be ruler of all heavens and Earth. Kurt Snibbe, Orange County Register, 8 Feb. 2024 Many Hindus believe the Babri Masjid was built on the ruins of a Hindu temple, allegedly destroyed in 1528 by Babar, the first Mughal emperor of South Asia. Rhea Mogul, CNN, 4 Feb. 2024 In the first century A.D., the emperor Tiberius tried to outlaw kissing at state functions, likely because of an epidemic of cold sores. Franz Lidz, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2024 The emblem of the emperor Beyond its enduring role in Chinese culture, the dragon played a crucial part in the consolidation of the Chinese imperial state. Catherine Duncan, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'emperor.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English emperour, borrowed from Anglo-French empereor, amperour, going back to Latin imperātōr-, imperātor "person giving orders, commanding officer, title of honor bestowed on a victorious general by his troops, title conferred by the Roman senate on Julius Caesar and Augustus and adopted by later successors," from imperāre "to demand the production of, levy, give orders, exercise authority, hold political power" (from im- in- entry 2 + parāre "to supply, provide, make ready") + -tōr-, -tor, agent suffix — more at pare

Note: See note at pare.

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of emperor was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near emperor

Cite this Entry

“Emperor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/emperor. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

emperor

noun
em·​per·​or ˈem-pər-ər How to pronounce emperor (audio)
-prər
: the ruler of an empire
Etymology

Middle English emperour "emperor," from early French emperur (same meaning), from Latin imperator "commander" (title assumed by Caesar Augustus), from imperare "to command"

Word Origin
The word emperor is a general word for a ruler having total control of a country or region. There are similar words for such all-powerful rulers in various countries: the Caesars in ancient Rome, the czars in Russia, the kaisers in Germany. All these terms go back to one source: the first of the emperors of the Roman lands, known as Imperator Caesar Augustus. Augustus (whose name was really a title, meaning "honorable") was the adopted son of the great Roman general and ruler Julius Caesar. Augustus took the family name Caesar as part of his official name. Later emperors of Rome also used the name Caesar to show that they were heirs to the throne. This is how the word Caesar came to be used to mean "an emperor of Rome." The word Caesar was spelled kaisar and later kaiser in the Germanic languages of Europe. It is from this word that we got our English word kaiser for "a ruler in Germany." Through the Russian word tsar', which also came from the Germanic word kaisar, we got our English word czar, meaning "a ruler in Russia." Use of the word emperor itself can also be traced back to Imperator Caesar Augustus. The Latin word imperator was originally a title given to great Roman generals. The word meant "commander," and it was derived from the verb imperare "to command." It is because Augustus, the first Roman emperor, used imperator as a title that we use emperor as we do today.
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